After the Rain
by Lae Bevin
Summary: The breeze enveloped them and Lae could tell that the rain was once again coming. “You know, I thought you said I was your best friend. Why don’t you tell me anything anymore?” She asked but it didn’t look like he planned to answer her.


**Disclaimer: **Remus will never be mine… so sad…

**Author's Note: **Not a song fic… based on true events…

**After the Rain**

**_November 1977_**

Lae Bevin threw back her red curls and picked up another strawberry tart.

"Lae, that's your _eighth_ tart this morning." J.K. R'phael marveled at the tall Gryffindor beside her.

"There's more over at the Hufflepuff table. Maybe I should get some." Lily Evans said.

"Sure, thanks." Lae was still absent-mindedly staring at her classmate who just left the table.

"HEY!" Lily slammed her hand on the table. Lae's attention shifted to her. "You haven't stopped staring at Remus the whole morning. What's going on with you?" Lily asked.

"Nothing." She popped the last morsel into her mouth.

"_Nothing_? It looks like you're going to eat Remus any moment you get the chance." J.K. said. Gyn Plata-Connor, who was quietly reading a letter from her father, choked.

"J.K.! We just _started_ breakfast!" she shouted.

"What? What did I say?" J.K. looked at Gyn, confused. Gyn shook her head and went on with her reading. Lae picked up her ninth tart.

"Lae, I know you haven't to worry about your figure, love. But _good Merlin_, that's your ninth tart! Leave some for the rest of the house, will you?" But just after Gyn's remark, the plate refilled itself.

"It's not my fault _they_ keep replacing the plate with food!" Lae munched on her tenth tart.

The afternoon bell rang and it was time for Potions. Lae rummaged through her things as she slowly walked down the hall to the dungeons. As she turned on the corner to go down the stairs, someone crashed into her and she flew to the floor.

"_Damn_, Bevin! For a girl as big as you, you sure fly off easily!" Sirius Black passed her by.

"Bugger!" she shouted.

"Let's go, Moony." Sirius clapped Remus Lupin's shoulder. Remus smiled and Sirius went his way.

"I'm so sorry." It was weird how Remus didn't bother help her get back on her feet. And where was he going anyway? They had Potions in the dungeons, why was Remus hurrying away from the dungeons? As if Remus noticed Lae's worrying, he quickly went down the stairs.

"Remus, wait!" Lae jumped to her feet and followed Remus down the stairs. Remus did not look back. He just walked towards his roommates and ignored Lae's call.

"Remus, what is wrong with you?" Lae made him face her. "What's up? What's going on? What's wrong?" She asked.

"Lae, nothing, alright. I'm fine." Remus was brushing her away.

"_Nothing_? Well, why have you been avoiding me?" Lae raised an eyebrow.

"I haven't alright. Let it go." Remus was whispering. And he wanted Lae to follow his suit. Everyone waiting at the hall was listening to their conversation.

"You know, you should let it go, Bevin." Sirius always believed that he could fix anything.

"For _once_, Black, try sticking your nose out of other people's conversations. This is private stuff between friends." Lae could tower over Sirius if she intended to.

"I _am_ his friend, halfwit. So when he says it's nothing, it's nothing." Sirius said.

"_Maybe,_ you haven't been much of a friend." And if that wouldn't shut him up, Lae was ready to curse him into shutting up. It worked, for Sirius stepped back.

"I thought we had an agreement the other night," Lae didn't want to cry but it was hard considering the pain Remus was going through. The iron doors opened and the professor beckoned everyone to enter.

Lae flipped her wand between her fingers. Her quill gathered enough ink to write a foot of an essay. It's been sitting in her ink bottle for an hour but she hasn't picked it up to continue her list. The fire cracked and her mind raced. She held her wand and opened one of the windows. The rain had stopped and the scent of the earth gave a comforting hug. She closed the windows and picked up her things and left the Gryffindor tower.

She sat on the lawn and put down her ink bottle and quill. She looked at her parchment and couldn't believe at the words she's written a couple of hours ago. It was stupid and childish to even begin with. But as childish as she saw herself, it couldn't have been more logical. She needed to know why. Why was he her best friend?

"Interesting list you have there."

Remus stood behind her, both hands inside his front pockets, cloak hanging loosely from his shoulders and his hair dancing with the breeze.

"Rude of you to read without permission." Lae folded the parchment.

"That would've been rude, well, if there were actually things listed on it, and considering it weren't for me." He said, fixing his robes on his shoulders.

"Well, I can't find things to write on it." Lae then ripped the parchment to pieces.

"That was a waste of good parchment." Remus said. Lae stood and faced Remus.

"Why? Because I tore it even if there was nothing written on it?" Lae looked at Remus and her hair danced with the breeze too.

"No, you do that all the time anyway." Remus turned to Lae. The wind blew harder and Lae smiled. Remus looked back at the Great Lake.

"You didn't need a list to tell you why."

"Maybe I do."

"No, you don't."

"_Sometimes_, I do."

"No."

"Well, _maybe_ I just do, alright. Maybe you don't know me enough to know what I do or don't need." The blades of grass were still covered with mists from the rain.

"Why wont you tell me what's bothering you?" Lae asked.

"Because I thought you already knew." Remus said.

"It's not always safe to assume."

The breeze enveloped them and Lae could tell that the rain was once again coming. "You know, I thought you said I was your best friend. Why don't you tell me anything anymore?" She asked but it didn't look like he planned to answer her.

"I thought I knew you." Lae sniffed. Remus sighed and finally took hands out of his pockets.

"Well, it's not always safe to assume." Lae turned to the boy beside her. She bit her lip and slowly walked away.


End file.
